Cartridge-feeding device for automatic firearms



Feb. 3. l 925.

J. M. BROWNING CARTRIDGE FEEDING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed Apfil 1924 fnmntaz M a $4 Y T all whoanit may concern:

Patented'Feb. 3, 1925.

.1. U IT STATES Joint in BROWNING, or OGDEN,- UTAH.

CARTRIDGE-FEEDING nnvrcn .roa AUTOMATIC FIREARMS.

" Applieation filed April 28, 1924. Serial No. 7o9,49e.

' ful Improvements in Cartridge-FeedingDeembodiment. of the invention.

vices for ,AutomatieFirearms, o'fiwhicli I the following is a specification, reference be- 0' had to the accompanying draw ngs,-

in fo fiming a part hereon i y i. The invention relates generally to automatic firearms, and morepaiticularly to a cartridge feeding device adaptedfor use with the class of automatic-firearmsshown, for example, in my pending application .Serial No. 680,963, filed December 15, 1928, for automatic firearm. I

In that class offirearm, the cartridges are supplied to the gun by a feed plate adapted tobe automatically fed step by step through a transverse feed channel of the gun to bring the cartridges successively intothe central plane of the gun, where they are automat cally removed from the plate and inserted. into the barrelchamben11t is an ObJGCt or I the invention to provide afeed. plate of this character which can be readily inserted into said feed channel and fed'therethrough with either end first, thereby requiring less attentionon the part of the operator supplying the loaded feed plates to the gun,.and thus I aiding in keeping up acontinuous automatic fire, when necessary or desirable, as for-example, when thegun is being used against a rapidly moving target, such as an airplane- This object is attained by the novel improved feed plate shownin the accom anyerred ing drawings and representing a .pre

In the drawings; I Fig. 1 represents atop view of the m- ,proved feed plate, showing the rear portion .iof a cartridge seated therein.

Fig. 2 represents a front view of said feed plate, showing a cartridge seatedtherein,

\ Fig. 3 represents a rear yiew of said plate.

Fig. 4 represents'a partial longitudinal vertical section, as seen from the right, through the transverse feed channel of the gun with the improved feed plate therein;

the rear portion of a ca rtridge-is shown re leased ready for downward removal from theplatev. I c Fig. 5 represents in perspective one of the spring catches for locking the cartridges in the feed plate, I

, Fig.,6 represents a partial horizontal tion through the feed plate, showing the co operative. relation between the cam. inthe it c'i ee'd channel and, the spring catches on said plate. L

I l hefnovel improved feed plate: prises a substantially'fiat piece of'metalfjor metal, alloy provided with the longitudina flanges'll at topandfbottom which extend rea-rwa rdly when the feed plate is in 'p'osi} tion in the transverse channel in the. "gun I adapted to receive it. y

'lhe'frol'it face of the feed plate is provided with seats 12 for receiving the heads of'cartridges. These seats are formed by transversely extending ribs 13, having overhangingfianges 13 for engagement in front ofthe rims 140i thecartridges', see 'Fi s. 1 and 2. The two ribs 13 at the ends o the feed plate are provided on their inner sides only With such overhanging flanges 13,

hile the remaining ribs have such flanges on both sides. y

By .thislconstruction, it will ,be'ffevident that acartridge when seated in thefeed plate as shown in Figs. land 2,. held g against longitudinal displacement" ther trom,and that a cartridge can be inserted into or removed from its seat only in"' a transverse direction but from either of the openends of, said seat. Thus the feed plate is adapted to be fed with either end first through the feedch'annel of the gun with which it is use'dfeach cartridgeb'eing removed from its. seat, in .either case,'through the open end of said seat nearest to thebarrel axis. i c

To 'make easy the withdrawal'ofthe cartridges from their seats, the greater portion 1 and'2,'thanthe thickness of the' annular rim 14 of the cartridge but, when the cartridge isfully seated centrally of the plate. see Fig. 2, the cartridge rim is firmly held between the overhanging flanges 131 and the substantially triangular-shaped rais'edf'portions15 provided centrallyof the feed plate,

one at each 'side of each cartridge se'a"t,'as ;clearly shown in Figs. 1. and 2.

f Tohold he cartridges against'transversc of each seat is of greater depth, :see Figs.

. catch comprises an elongated. spring portion 16 adapted to be secured at one'endas by a rivet 16 centrally of the rear. face of the feed plate, see Fig. 3.' This elongated porofthese lateral 'portions'16" is bent at right angles to form stop projections 16, which are adapted to'extend forwardly through slots in the feed plate and project f intothe path of. the rim of a cartridge," one"v on each sideof the longitudinal axis of'the rea plate, thereby holding said cartridge against movement from its seat'tlirough either open end thereof.

the embodimento f theinvention selected for. illustration, 'thefl..f eed plate is these five cartridges in their seats. .The

adapted to hold five cartridges, and-three sprlng catches 16 are employed to keep two end, catches, one of which is shown detached ,in Fig. 5, each have'wide stop projections 16 extending'through correspondingslots in the feed plate so as to cause the opposite sides of thestop projections to co- I. operate with two adjacent cartridges to keep the same in; their seats. The intermediate catch, as 'shown in Figs. 1, 2' and 6, has a narrow stop projection 16 which extends into the'c'entral cartridge seatonly for cooperation with the central cartridge.

This construction and arrangement of the spring catch 16 permits'one' stop 'pr ojection 16 ",thereon to be withdrawn rearwardly 1 from a corresponding seat in the feed'p'late 1 to'allow of the insertion into,- or removal from,* said"seat of a catridge through the adjacent open'end' of the seat, while the other stop projection 16 remains in operative position thereby preventing removal of a] cartridge [from the oppolslte end of said se'ati Q l iv Injorder to so withdraw the inner "stop projection .16 ona catch 16 rearwardly out of a'cartridge seat, as shown inFig. 4;, when 'said seat'reaches'the desired position relative to, the,longitudi nal central plane of the gun in the transverse movement'of the'j feed plate through the gun in 'the' nanner' fully describedv in my prior application'hereinbefore referred to,said catch is provided,

[ at its free end on the opposite sides thereof. :with laterally extending rearwardlycurved projections 16; the inner one of said proje'ctions l6 is arranged to co-operate with a with an upwardly projecting flange 17",'the forward face of which is in close proximity to the rear face of the feedplate when the same is positioned in the feed "channel, see Figs. 4 and 6. This flange has, at each end thereof, a camsurface 17 inclined forwardly and outwardly; I a

' As the feed plate is moved toward the right hand side of the gun from the position shown in Fig.6, for example, the lefthand cam surface 17 "en a curved projection 16' on t e catch 16 and thereby moves theinner stop projection-16 rearwardly to the positionin which the lower stop" projectionof'another catch 16" is s the inner.

shownin Figii'fwhe're it is kept by the.-

has beenlmoved through'the innero 11 end of its seat in the'niann'er fully disc osed in my prior application hereinbefore referred plate will be released, atthe pro r inter va'ls in the movement of said" eed plate lnthisiwaypall the cartridges in the feed through thefeed' channel of the'gun, to perinitthem-to be successively removed therefrom in transverse direction toward the barrel axis as they near the central vertical longitudinal plane of the gun. To prevent the'releas'ed cartridgefrom moving down- .ward prematurely, the bottom of a transverse; feed channel may be-extended lateral v lygtowa rd the leftfas fully disclosed in my prior application: hereinbefore referred to andalso in my prior application Serial No.

705,895, filed April 11, 1924.

The 'ri-glit-handcam" surface "17 on the flange 17?, seeFigilzyis provided so asto permit withdrawal ofjthe' feed plate toward the left,when"it is desired to do so, after one of said curved projections 16 has passed to Theconstruction an'd arrangement of the he right beyond the right hand end of the afl 17 i spring catches 16 which permit one of the A stop projections 16 fthereon to 'be moved from its correspon'dlng seator' seats is advantageous also in loading the "feed plate,

when it is obviouslyidesirable to prevent movement of a cartridge through the opposite end of theseat'from that throughwhich it is inserted. For this purpose, a suitable tool having camsurfaces to c'o-operate with [the rearwardly curved "projections 16 on the. catches 16, and similar to that fully disclosed in my prior application Serial'No.

1y moving each of the stop projections'16 adjacent'one side o'fthe iced plate to inspaced'notches '19Yadapted to' co-operate alternately with the feed pawlof the gun,

- To further adapt the teed; plate. for being 680,963m'ay be provided for simultaneous- 'fixedcam bracket 17 secured, as by :rivets 1 7, to the rear wall18 of the transverseifeed, fchannelofthe'gun,seeFig.4. Said bracket l7 is's 'aced fromthe'bottom of the feed channe so as to permit the inner flange-11' of the feedjplate to pass through thefspace; so formed, and it is' providedat the front not shown, toadvanoethe plate step-by step through the' gu'n; A series of equally would result, as fully described in mypriorap lication SerialvNo'. 680,963.

1110f the feed plate are reverselyiarranged;

on one flange, from theirarrangement on the: other-flange so that theyzco-operate 1m like nlanner'wltlrt-lie feeding mechanism of the gun, irrespective} of whlchend of the feed plate-is foremost. I

An additional notch 2Othas been provided near the end of each-flange 11*for co operation with the stop pawlof the gun. These notches are provided to prevent: ac-,

cidental withdrawal'iof the 'feed plate after it-has been manually inserted into the feedv channel :far enough to1bringthe first of thenotches 19 *thereon into co-operative -rela-- tion with the feed-pawl of the un;

-To assist in guiding the feecf platey-lO throu h the feed channel of the gun it is provided-With guide-grooves 22, one atthe top andone at the bottom of the plate, one

of said grooves beingsadapted to co-operate with a correspondingrib 23 forming a part,

of-the wall of saidc'transverse feed channel of the gun when one end of the vfeed plate is foremost and the-other groove 22 :being likewise adaptedto'coeoperateiwith said rib when. the other endnof said plateis fore- Letters Patent is:

1. A cartridge holder for automatic firearms comprising a. substantially flat elongated plate having seats in one side thereof to receivethe heads of cartridges and hold said cartridges against longitudinal displacement therefrom, saidseats opening in transverse directions to permit the insci-tion of cartridges therein or their removal therefrom alternatively in, opposite directions, whereby the holder can be moved through the gun either end foremost.

2. A cartridge holder for automatic firearms comprising a substantially fiat elongated plate adapted to be fed edgewise 7 through a transverse feed channel on the therefrom,

f'firearm with which itistto .be used, said Plate! having-seats in its front side to re- 'ceive theheads of cartridges and'hold said cartridges against longitudinal displacement' therefrom, but 'WlllCll permit, cartridges to be placed therein "or removed therefrom by movementtransverse to said a plate and alternatively in opposite. directions.

x. f I v 3, A cartridge holder forautomatic firearms comprising a substantially flat ,elon-i 1 gated plate, said plate having cartridge re-n he notches 19,20 gan'd 21 onthenfianges,

ceiving seatsin its front-face .whichpr'event therein andyare open at topvanil bottom,

tridges in said seats. 4. A cartridge holder forvaut'omatic fire-i arms-comprisinga substantially flat elon gated plate, provided withtransverse ribs its front facefhaving overhanging flanges, thereby forming seats forthe heads of cartridges which. prevent lon itudinal 1 displacement of said cartridges therefrom on I but permit removal of said cartridgesyfrom sald plate transverselythereof and alternatlvely 1n opposite directions .5. A cartridge,holder'for automatic fire arms compmsing asubstantially flat -el0ngated plate, said plate having a plurality of seats in its front face adapted to receive therefrom,'said seats being open at top and bottom, and means for normallypreventing movement of said cartridges through said.

openings, said means comprising. springactuated catches adapted to engage said cartridges on opposite sides thereof.

j6. A cartridge holder forautomatic firearms comprising a substantially fiat elongated plate adapted to .be fed edgewisc through a transverse feed channel on the firearm with Whichit isto vbe used, said plate havingin its front face a ofseats adapted to receive the heads of cartridges and hold said cartridges against ,longitudinal displacement therefrom, said seats being open at top and bottom for the insertion of cartridges into or their removal from said seats by movement transversely of said plate in either direction, and means for holding said cartridges in said seats comprising spring-actuated catches secured to the rear face of said plate and having stop projections extending through slots in said plate into said seats to engage the cartridgeson opposite sides thereof.

7. A cartridge holder for automatic the arms comprising a substantially fiat elongated plate, said late having in its front plurality f the heads of cartridges and hold said cartrldges against longitudinal displacement face a plurality of seats adapted to receive. the heads of cartridges andhold said cartridges against longitudinal displacement said seats being open at top and bdthmifirand rniean's foii 1iorxnnlLyii-prevent+;!z ing gtmnsverse? movement. of throughl either 50f said; openingsysax'd n eens, comp'rising resil ientggcatches zr-esch having;

Step I projections 1 thereon: aextendingi-into 1:18

corresponding seat :aforfenga ement: twithfacartridge onljopposite "SIdeSVt ereof.

8:114 cartridge eadsf o V M against' longitudinal ad'ispla cement-athere- I a from;-saidzseats bein open attop meansJOr old-i'ngsaid in their eoznprising eprin havingstop proj ti M ing-iiIi-0" a. oorr spon'dingseat ii cabc 'esfbein' oonsbrueted' and enraged permit with rain): of. one ofits "projections frorniits m P di g seat; Without; withdrawing the other of ifi siopfpg-oje tio i.

. '9'. A mrtrid'ge' holder; for automatic fire= arms oomprising-aisubstantially flat-e101 gated plate adapted to be ied edge'wise throughm transverse feed channel on' the firearm"withfwhichi it; is to be used, platehnving' seats'in its front side to receive the heads 1 of cartridges and 'hold. solid car tridges Y against longitudinal displacement therefrom, but; whicha'permit cartridges to therein or removed therefrom by movement ti-iins'verse to said plate alternm holding movement "from"'sa.id comprising springmntuaxed catches" engaging said oart-rilges.

arms comprising -a'. umming gated plate adapted. tobe mo v 1 th 1pm in ifeedi v o theamfltemapive1 n-frendifomnostr, holdewiori-aufiOmILfiO: fire-7;? arms comprising a. substantially fiat 9101155 1 plateqhnvingk'infione sidexthereoffa luralit -Lofiseats adaptedi;to..a re eive the: g cartridge s and; hold I against longitudinal displacement therefrom,"

openiate top and menns foreholding" cartridges-in =their Pa e Mrs J wmprisinga c s h h ng n .n

. 0:;i I of said and exuen ernentwith i car- *ti'id onoppo'site -eides 'ereOL-Lewh of, said into n cartridge site directions; and means for eartridgesag ainst tmnsvem of m firearmf with which it either end foremost.

name-1Q on-saidaplatei. eo v m h h thno 11; m ridge ihdbfiuwm an 2 1 m i e t mmdz em o mov lag the feed 1 witheither;

mreoeivethe headSZ i of hold-said bartmidgesi elongated ,thingspring iiuftioliIi G l 'Q atv one.

ingnat its oggositeenddateml projections; provided mi g 1 thmoughoomfespon inghsl'ots lam- PM T engage -theeartridge e 70 prevenbmoyementof the'same through said pe Sa d el mg p g mittin'g one of"; said stop promctibns to projections seated therema'on sides themorfi to;

,portion pen withdrawn from holding v engagement with said cartridgeiwhile the; other of Said-stop pmjections remains in: zopemt aivepengagement wibhisaid cartridge, w

12. A cnrtridgekholdg'ar comprising, a sub-H Stantially flalfi plate "having,- ca.r. ",tridge w nirsifient vt e in'g' trans directionswfo' adnpted to be ed; through the feed Thisspecification},- signed and. witnessedthi's'26tfh day 'of April A 'D 1924;

"'ln' the preeenoeofi-ria; v f JJCALVIN BRIGHT," -MARY Jes rnrnsg f v.

y of *said; plate in opposite rmit removal ofii'the can 11. tridges ".:.;.th'ere rom nlternativelyw through either ofs'aido ingsg whereby said lateisI nnel; :is to used :JOH'XMQBROWMNQL l 

